MLB Playoffs

[DyePack]

I hear General Braddock was talking trash, too, before he marched across the Alleghenies.

 

[Oz]

Won't the almighty Tigers become the greatest chokers of all time when they lose the next two games? After all, AL Central, the greatest division in the history of baseball!

Nah, the greatest chokers of all time would still be the 2004 Yankees, one strike away from a World Series sweep that would have turned A-Rod into an instant New York winner ... and then they collapse.

As for AL Central, it's kind of funny to see the taunts, even jokingly. White Sox won the World Series last season, then Detroit makes it there this season. Yeah, still the best division in the AL, no question.

 

[spnited]

True on the 2004 Yankees, Oz. The greatest and most enjoyable choke of all time.

But how is it the best divison in baseball can't beat the team with the fifth-best record in the NL..even with their "ace" cheating in more ways than we can count?

 

[Oz]

But how is it the best division in baseball can't beat the team with the fifth-best record in the NL..even with their "ace" cheating in more ways than we can count?

Not exactly sure how to explain that one away, but the Cardinals did win 100 (NLCS) and 105 games (World Series) the past two seasons, so they've been there before and had some measure of success. The difference -- and this is just my theory -- is that the pressure is off this time. No one expected them to do much, especially with how well Detroit played to get there and St. Louis limped in. The Cardinals seem to thrive in this role.

When the Cardinals won the 1982 World Series, they were underdogs to the Brewers. When they lost in 1985 and 1987, they were heavy favorites to beat a 91-win Royals team and an 85-win Twins team, respectively.

Just seems to be the Cardinals' history in the World Series in the past 25 years. Best theory I got.

 

[RokSki]

Red State, baby, Red State

Not quite dyed in the wool. Democrats win most of the state offices, and it's in play in pretty much any presidential election.

In fact, Missouri is actually the bellwether state. Save for 1956, Missouri has voted for the winner of the presidential election every time since 1900.

Maine had been viewed as the bellwether state before that.

Thanks for the political info, guys. Same with you, Dyed. Shows how much I know. Believe me, I hope it isn't a red state. I've got a friend who lives in Springfield, Mo., and it doesn't get much redder than that. Hope that changes. Especially for this election.

 

[Oz]

I've got a friend who lives in Springfield, Mo., and it doesn't get much redder than that.

If your friend were to move 30 minutes west to say Kansas, it would get much redder than that.

 

[Bubbler]

Keep it going, fellas.
The fact that the MLB Playoffs thread has now become the clearing house for lame jokes about my age simply serves to emphasize my point that this is a World Series with no buzz, between two boring teams nobody cares about.

C'mon Spnited, lame jokes about your age are timeless.

Kinda of like ... I dunno ... you!

 

[Angola!]

But how is it the best division in baseball can't beat the team with the fifth-best record in the NL..even with their "ace" cheating in more ways than we can count?

Not exactly sure how to explain that one away, but the Cardinals did win 100 (NLCS) and 105 games (World Series) the past two seasons, so they've been there before and had some measure of success. The difference -- and this is just my theory -- is that the pressure is off this time. No one expected them to do much, especially with how well Detroit played to get there and St. Louis limped in. The Cardinals seem to thrive in this role.

When the Cardinals won the 1982 World Series, they were underdogs to the Brewers. When they lost in 1985 and 1987, they were heavy favorites to beat a 91-win Royals team and an 85-win Twins team, respectively.

Just seems to be the Cardinals' history in the World Series in the past 25 years. Best theory I got.

Come on now Oz, you can't try and give a rational explanation as to why the Tigers and the AL Central are choking away the World Series. All we've heard all season from the AL Central fans is how great the division is and how every other division in baseball is overrated, so I think in fact this is a choke.
As a Yankees fan I am actually rooting for the NL - even though I despise LaRussa - and I am not doing it because the Tigers beat the Yankees. Normally I would root for the AL as long as it was anyone but the Red Sox or the Mariners, but after reading on this board for six months about how great the AL Central is, nothing would amuse me more than the AL Central blowing the World Series they were heavily favored and almost universally predicted to sweep.

 

[Oz]

Come on now Oz, you can't try and give a rational explanation as to why the Tigers and the AL Central are choking away the World Series. All we've heard all season from the AL Central fans is how great the division is and how every other division in baseball is overrated, so I think in fact this is a choke.

Not so much giving a rational explanation for the Tigers as I am the Cardinals. And let's be honest here, all season you've heard how great the AL Central is because people bagged on the AL Central from start to finish. Self-defense there.

I forget who it was, but someone here commented that the Yankees would miss the playoffs because of the Royals. The reason? Those mediocre AL Central teams would beat up on the Royals all season, fatten their win totals and advance to the playoffs while the Yankees -- supposedly in the toughest division in baseball -- would miss out. Nevermind that the worst team in the bigs this year came from the AL East and that the Royals took the season series from Boston, despite six of the games being at Fenway.

So please excuse us AL Central types for talking loud the moment Detroit smashed the Yankees and A's. We hoped to see something like that, given how East Coast SportsJournalists.com bagged on the division from start to finish.

 

[Angola!]

Come on now Oz, you can't try and give a rational explanation as to why the Tigers and the AL Central are choking away the World Series. All we've heard all season from the AL Central fans is how great the division is and how every other division in baseball is overrated, so I think in fact this is a choke.

Not so much giving a rational explanation for the Tigers as I am the Cardinals. And let's be honest here, all season you've heard how great the AL Central is because people bagged on the AL Central from start to finish. Self-defense there.

I forget who it was, but someone here commented that the Yankees would miss the playoffs because of the Royals. The reason? Those mediocre AL Central teams would beat up on the Royals all season, fatten their win totals and advance to the playoffs while the Yankees -- supposedly in the toughest division in baseball -- would miss out. Nevermind that the worst team in the bigs this year came from the AL East and that the Royals took the season series from Boston, despite six of the games being at Fenway.

So please excuse us AL Central types for talking loud the moment Detroit smashed the Yankees and A's. We hoped to see something like that, given how East Coast SportsJournalists.com bagged on the division from start to finish.

Fair enough. And you are right the AL East wasn't as good in the end as it had been in year's past, maybe I just get excessively defensive because A) I am a Yankees fan and B) I am not part of the East Coast SportsJournalists.com group. I am a Yankees fan from the Southwest via the Northwest.

 

[Oz]

No problem, Angola. And I'm still hoping for the Tigers to rebound, not so much for AL Central reasons, but because I do fear the wrath of Cardinals fans everywhere. As a Royals fan, that would be intolerable.

 

[Angola!]

Any of you non-Red Sox or Yankees fans that is good/likes Poker should sign up for this and win it and then SportsJournalists.com will rule supreme.

http://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.php?showtopic=12349

 

[Herbert Anchovy]

In fact, there have been 28 games played this postseason and only one -- Game 7, Cards-Mets -- has been remotely memorable.

Someone at work said this was the best baseball game he ever saw. I asked the dude when he started watching baseball.

This postseason has been a complete fizz. I have watched all or parts of all 28 games, and only two of them have been the least bit compelling. Worst postseason I can remember.

 

[Angola!]

In fact, there have been 28 games played this postseason and only one -- Game 7, Cards-Mets -- has been remotely memorable.

Someone at work said this was the best baseball game he ever saw. I asked the dude when he started watching baseball.

This postseason has been a complete fizz. I have watched all or parts of all 28 games, and only two of them have been the least bit compelling. Worst postseason I can remember.

I'm with you, though I haven't seen that many of the games live because of work, but the only games I have enjoyed as a fan was Game 1 of the Yankees series - for obvious reasons. And the only game I have enjoyed as a baseball fan was Game 7 and even then it was only because I love baseball. It wasn't all that compelling until the Mets left the bases loaded in the sixth or whatever it was.
I have watched the World Series, just because it is the World Series, but if I am just some average idiot on the street - which I recognize is highly possible - I could give a **** about this series.

 

[buckweaver]

Because I was bored -- well, and because I never get tired of it -- I popped in my Official 1991 WS videocassette.

And while I realize comparing this World Serious to that one is like comparing a Scoop Jackson column to the Gettysburg Address, it just amplifies how bad this postseason has been in terms of even halfway-decent games. Hell, the '91 NLCS was better than this WS -- and who the **** remembers the '91 NLCS? (Well, except me. Avery with ice water in his veins. ;D)

I've watched every game in this postseason -- as I always do. The World Serious is not over, of course, but right now Kenny Rogers' smudge is the only defining moment. That doesn't even put it in the top 80 postseasons of all time. It's just below the 1979 postseason, which at least had a theme song to give it some flair. And just ahead of 1943, which was decimated by war.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

The team that's scored the first run has won all three games. That makes for dull baseball.
Oh, yes, one more thing. Since MLB went to the third round of playoffs in 1995, this is the 12th World Series. Only one of them, 2001 has been memorable except to the fans of the teams involved. And even then... I mean, it's pretty bad when winning the World Series is sort of an afterthought for RED SOX fans.
Three rounds of playoffs, a maximum of 19 games, is just too many, The post-season becomes too much like the regular season. Avoiding that is one reason the NFL has a two-week interval before the Super Bowl. If for no other reason, fans who diligently watch October baseball as Tommy Lasorda demands and who live in the Eastern time zone are seriously sleep deprived by World Series time. Baseball butnout. Catch it.
There should be 4 divisions of 7-8 teams each, four winners, two 7-game post-season series. This will never happen, since it would involve temporary revenue loss in pursuit of future gains. That's the one real taboo in American society.

 

[jagtrader]

There are two certainties about the baseball playoffs. The weather will be chilly and people will complain about something.

 

[Songbird]

Because I was bored -- well, and because I never get tired of it -- I popped in my Official 1991 WS videocassette.

And while I realize comparing this World Serious to that one is like comparing a Scoop Jackson column to the Gettysburg Address, it just amplifies how bad this postseason has been in terms of even halfway-decent games. Hell, the '91 NLCS was better than this WS -- and who the **** remembers the '91 NLCS? (Well, except me. Avery with ice water in his veins. ;D)

I've watched every game in this postseason -- as I always do. The World Serious is not over, of course, but right now Kenny Rogers' smudge is the only defining moment. That doesn't even put it in the top 80 postseasons of all time. It's just below the 1979 postseason, which at least had a theme song to give it some flair. And just ahead of 1943, which was decimated by war.

1991 Game 7: My favorite (non-Dodgers) game of all time. If we ever meet I'll bring the Dewar's and you bring the tape.

 

[suburbia]

The team that's scored the first run has won all three games. That makes for dull baseball.
Oh, yes, one more thing. Since MLB went to the third round of playoffs in 1995, this is the 12th World Series. Only one of them, 2001 has been memorable except to the fans of the teams involved. And even then... I mean, it's pretty bad when winning the World Series is sort of an afterthought for RED SOX fans.
Three rounds of playoffs, a maximum of 19 games, is just too many, The post-season becomes too much like the regular season. Avoiding that is one reason the NFL has a two-week interval before the Super Bowl. If for no other reason, fans who diligently watch October baseball as Tommy Lasorda demands and who live in the Eastern time zone are seriously sleep deprived by World Series time. Baseball butnout. Catch it.
There should be 4 divisions of 7-8 teams each, four winners, two 7-game post-season series. This will never happen, since it would involve temporary revenue loss in pursuit of future gains. That's the one real taboo in American society.

Winning the '04 series was an afterthought for Red Sox fans? I know it was very anticlimactic compared to the Yankees comeback (what wouldn't be?), but it was still their first championship in 86 years. Even with the Yankees comeback, it would have been very heartbreaking to lose the World Series again. In fact, it might have been more so; if it wasn't going to happen that year, when would it happen?

The first six games of the 1997 World Series were mostly blah, but I loved Game 7. Another pratfall for a Cleveland team on the brink of a championship. A rookie pitcher (Wright) out-pitching a 10-year veteran (Leiter) in the biggest of games. And an 11-inning thriller, with Jim Leyland finally getting a ring after those heartbreaks with the Pirates.

 

[casty33]

Has this postseason been boring? I suppose. But I look at it this way. In one more week, there will be no more baseball to watch and, as a stay-at-home, disabled, retired baseball writer, I can't help but miss it, so leave it alone, please. Despite its warts, it's still baseball.

And one other thing. I realize I may be alone in this thinking, but all the jokes about spnited's age are really becoming tired and boring. And also quite childish.

Sorry, but it's the way I feel.